Facebook members threaten to quit over anti-Islam group

, Sep 11, 2007 / 10:13 am (CNA).- Thousands of Facebook members have threatened to quit if Facebook refuses to remove a group that denounces Islam.

The group, which claims to be atheistic and has about 750 members, says it has nothing against Muslims who “usually are peaceful and respectful.” However, it asserts: “The Quran contains many lies and threats. Islam is false, no god exists, and someone should say that loud and clear.”

As of the weekend, more than 58,000 Facebook members had joined a group, which said the anti-Islam group was promoting hate speech and that, unless it was removed, they would quit, reported the New York Times.

The organizer of the anti-Islam site told The Times in an e-mail message that his legal name is Variable. He said his account was suspended for some time last week but later reinstated.

He said his site deals with abstract ideas and disagreed that it was promoting hate speech. “The custom of protecting freedom of speech allows people to address belief systems in the harshest of terms,” he wrote. He said his group was peaceful. “Atheism is a belief system that few will die for because there is no reward.”

He noted that many Facebook sites attack him personally, “which qualifies as hate speech,” he said.